Standard ISO 14001 2015 Easy Version
Standard ISO 14001 2015 Easy Version
Standard ISO 14001 2015 Easy Version
Introduction
Standard ISO 14001 has been a widely used management-system standard by ISO, since its first publication in
1996. ISO first revised it in 2004 and then again in 2015 using the common clause sequence, text and
terminology stipulated for all management-system standards under Annex SL, Appendix 2, ISO/IEC Directives,
Part 1, Consolidated ISO Supplement, 2014.
The author has always noticed - throughout his 20 years of extensive experience as a management-systems
expert, consultant, trainer and auditor - that the users of this Standard, including consultants and auditors,
find this Standard quite difficult to fully comprehend, despite the fact that all the terms used have been well
defined and explained by the ISO. Main reason for this is that the text specifying the requirements in this
Standard by ISO sometimes uses quite complex syntax, sentence-structures, etc. Many diverse requirements
are sometimes included in single complex sentences. Onetime requirements (eg, to formulate the system) are
also at times mixed-up with the continuing requirements (eg, to implement the system). Latest year 2015
version of the Standard is also no exception.
As a result, all the requirements under this Standard, their mutual relationships, their intent, their mandated
content/coverage, etc, are not clearly understood and appreciated. This results in the EMSs in organizations
that remain patchy, and maybe not addressing all the wonderfully crafted requirements under this Standard,
or maybe not addressing all the requirements in the desired perspective and with desired equal-weightage.
The author has always been trying to address this issue by imparting clarity on the requirements of this
Standard through his training programmes.
Now, the author has attempted through this document to present an easily understandable version of the
standard ISO 14001:2015 for the use of all concerned, specially the consultants and auditors.
© Akhil K Garg .
by Akhil K Garg (October 2017) Standard ISO 14001:2015 Easy Version Page 2 of 10
Requirements ‘ to create EMS’(total 196 requirements) – specified by following terms used by ISO:
“DETERMINE” (implies a discovery process that results in knowledge, ref A.3 of the Standard) – required for 44 elements
“ESTABLISH” (term not defined or elaborated under the Standard) - required for 20 elements
“PLAN” (term not defined or elaborated under the Standard) - required for 10 elements
“DEFINE” (term not defined or elaborated under the Standard) - required for 3 elements
Mandate against above Requirements ‘ to create EMS’ – specified by following terms used by ISO:
“ Include” (term self-explanatory, so not defined or elaborated under the Standard) – 53 requirements under 10 clauses (4.1, 4.3,
4.4, 5.2, 7.2, 7.4.1, 7.5.1, 8.1, 9.2.2, 9.3)
“Consider” (means it is necessary to think about the topic but it can be excluded, ref A.3 of the Standard) – 28 requirements under 8
clauses (4.3, 4.4, 6.1.1, 6.1.2, 6.1.4, 6.2.1, 6.2.2, 9.2.2)
“ Take into account” (means it is necessary to think about the topic but it cannot be excluded, ref A.3 of the Standard) – 11 requirements
under 4 clauses (6.1.2, 6,1,3, 6.2.1, 7.4.1)
“ Document” (referred to as ‘maintain documented information’ under the Standard, ref A.3 of the Standard) – required for 27
elements, as listed at the last page here
Requirements ‘ to implement EMS’(total 132 requirements) – specified by following terms by ISO:
“Undertake / do / ensure / implement / maintain / improve / etc” – required for 117 elements
Mandate against the above implementation – specified by the following term:
“ Record” (referred to as ‘retain documented information as evidence of …’ under the Standard; the phrase ‘as evidence of….’ is not a
requirement to meet legal evidentiary requirements, its intent is only to indicate objective evidence needs to be retained - ref A.3
of the Standard) – required for 15 evidences, as listed at the last page here
Summary of Requirements
Number of Requirements
Main Clauses of Requirements ‘To Create the EMS’
Sub-clauses ’To Implement the EMS’
ISO 14001:2015
specifying Take into Document Execute, Record
specifying Requirements Determine Establish Plan Define Include Consider
Requirements account (list on last page) etc (list on last page)
4: Context of the Organization 4 7 2 7 16 1 4
5: Leadership 3 1 5 1 17
6: Planning 6 15 6 6 9 10 17 7
7: Support 9 12 2 10 1 36 6
8: Operation 2 2 7 2 1 8 20
9: Performance evaluation 5 7 2 2 2 31 3 19 6
10: Improvement 3 1 14 3
Total:
44 20 10 3 53 28 11 27 117 15
32 All total: 328
(Word ‘shall’ appears only 82 times in the Standard, but cover all these ‘requirements’)
Some other terms used by ISO in the Standard (also used here as such):
“Appropriate” (means suitable for/to and implies some degree of freedom, ref A.3 of the Standard) - appearing under 11 clauses (5.2,
6.1.2, 6.2.1, 7.2, 7.4.2, 7.5.2, 7.5.3, 8.1, 8.2, 9.1.1, 10.2)
“Applicable” (means relevant or possible to apply and implies that if it can be done, it needs to be done, ref A.3 of the Standard) - appearing
under 4 clauses (7.2, 7.5.3, 9.1.1, 10.2)
“Any” (implies selection or choice) - appearing under 3 clauses (8.1, 9.3, 10.2)
8 ‘ notes’ have also been given by ISO in the Standard(also included here as such) ‘ to assist the understanding or
clarifying the associated requirement’ .
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© Akhil K Garg .
by Akhil K Garg (October 2017) Standard ISO 14001:2015 Easy Version Page 3 of 10
Clause 1 (scope), clause 2 (normative reference) and clause 3 (terms and definitions) under the Standard have not been included here for obvious reason.
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by Akhil K Garg (October 2017) Standard ISO 14001:2015 Easy Version Page 4 of 10
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by Akhil K Garg (October 2017) Standard ISO 14001:2015 Easy Version Page 5 of 10
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by Akhil K Garg (October 2017) Standard ISO 14001:2015 Easy Version Page 6 of 10
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9 PERFORMANCE EVALUATION
9.1 - Monitoring, measurement, analysis and evaluation (MMAE)
9.1.1: (MMAE) General
• Monitor and measure (M&M) the environmental performance of the organization.
• Analyse and evaluate environmental performance of the organization (also ref 5th bullet below).
• DETERMINE:
a. What needs to be monitored and measured (M&M);
b. The applicable methods for MMAE, to ensure valid results;
c. The criteria against which the organization will evaluate its environmental performance;
c. Appropriate indicators to evaluate organization’s environmental performance;
d. When to perform the M&M;
e. When to analyse and evaluate the results from M&M.
• Ensure that calibrated or verified M&M equipment is: - used as appropriate, and - maintained as appropriate.
• Evaluate: - organization’ s environmental performance(also ref 2nd bullet above), and - the effectiveness of the EMS.
• Communicate relevant information on environmental performance: – internally, and - externally;
…. as per the identified communication processes (7.4.1), and …. as required by organization’ scompliance obligations (7.4.3).
Record: Results of monitoring/measurement – ref 1st bullet
Record: Results of analysis/evaluation – ref 2nd and 5th bullet
9.1.2: (MMAE) Evaluation of compliance
• ESTABLISH the process(es) needed to evaluate the fulfilment of organization’s compliance obligations (6.1.3).
• Implement the above established process(es).
• Maintain the above implemented process(es).
a. DETERMINE the frequency of evaluating compliance;
b. Evaluate the compliance, and take action if needed;
c. Maintain knowledge and understanding of organization’ scompliance status.
Record: Results of evaluation of obligatory compliance – ref ‘b’ above
9.2 Internal audit
9.2.1: (Internal audit) General
• PLAN the interval for internal audits.
• Conduct internal audits at above planned intervals to provide information whether the EMS:
a. Conforms to: (1) organization’ s own requirements for its EMS, and (2) the requirements of this Standard;
b. Is effectively implemented and maintained.
9.2.2: (Internal audit) Internal audit programme
• ESTABLISH the internal audit programme(s).
• Implement the above established internal audit program.
• Maintain the above implemented internal audit program.
a. DEFINE for each audit: - the audit criteria, and - the scope of audit;
b. Select auditors to ensure objectivity and impartiality of the audit process;
b. Conduct audits to ensure objectivity and impartiality of the audit process;
c. Ensure that the audit results are reported to relevant management.
Audit programmes (ref 1st bullet above) to:
o Include - frequency, - methods, - responsibilities, - planning requirements, and - reporting methods;
o Consider:
- Environmental importance of the concerned processes,
- Changes affecting the organization, and
- Results of previous audits.
Record: Implementation of established audit program – ref 2nd bullet
Record: Results of conducted audits – ref ‘b’ above
© Akhil K Garg .
by Akhil K Garg (October 2017) Standard ISO 14001:2015 Easy Version Page 9 of 10
Annex A, Annex B, Bibliography and Alphabetical index of terms under the Standard have also not been included here for obvious reason.
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© Akhil K Garg .
by Akhil K Garg (October 2017) Standard ISO 14001:2015 Easy Version Page 10 of 10
© Akhil K Garg .